First U.S. Ambassador for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer, Award-winning Actress Jennifer Morrison, and trailblazing women leaders from around the world among participating mentors

NEW YORK, June 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ANN INC., the parent Company of Ann Taylor, LOFT, and Lou & Grey, and Vital Voices Global Partnership are proud to announce the successful completion of the fourth annual ANNpower Vital Voices Leadership Forum held this week in Washington, D.C. (June 14 -17). The event convened and celebrated 50 high school girls who are rising leaders from across the country for three days of intensive leadership training, interactive sessions, networking and mentorship led by international women leaders of today.

The 2015 ANNpower Fellows were selected from a talented pool of applicants for their leadership acumen and commitment to furthering social progress. During the course of the Forum, the Fellows had the opportunity to learn new skills to help them make an impact in their communities.

"With the tools and support provided at the Forum, and with the caliber of women offering advice based on their own experience, our 2015 ANNpower Fellows are now empowered to create sustainable change within their communities," said Kay Krill, president and CEO of ANN INC. "We leave the Forum energized and enthused to see these young women carry this spirit forward into their future lives and professional careers."

Mirroring the Vital Voices Leadership Model, the Forum curriculum included training and mentorship from ANN INC. executives, global leaders from the Vital Voices Global Leadership Network and renowned women from the public and private sectors. Mentors and speakers provided anecdotes of inspiration, personal experiences, lessons learned and real-world examples of leadership at its best.

Leadership on the Hill Sessions: Group discussion with the Treasurer of the United States, Rosie Rios, and roundtable discussion with White House Women Senior Staff, as well as an interactive session with Patricia Russo, executive director for the Women's Campaign School at Yale University

The Forum enabled the Fellows to forge lasting connections and become part of a long-term network of global leaders. "In our work around the globe, we've witnessed how the power of mentorship can cultivate and influence leadership potential. We believe that every young woman should have the opportunity to be mentored and we're honored to partner with ANN INC. as we continue to support the young leaders of tomorrow," said Alyse Nelson, President and CEO of Vital Voices.

To date, the ANNpower Initiative has trained 200 ANNpower Fellows, who have positively impacted more than 45,000 people in 15 countries around the world. For more information about ANNpower, visit ANNpower.org.

About the ANNpower Vital Voices InitiativeThe ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative is a groundbreaking partnership between ANN INC. and Vital Voices Global Partnership to empower young women from across the U.S. with the leadership skills they need to affect global progress, invest in their communities and begin their journeys as the next generation of leaders. The ANNpower Initiative aims to provide leadership skills and mentorship to 50 ANNpower Fellows annually and is designed to positively impact more than 5,500 people in their collective communities and around the world each year. Visit ANNpower.org for more information.

About ANN INC.ANN INC. is the parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, two of the leading women's specialty retail fashion brands in North America. As of May 2, 2015, the Company operated 1,034 Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Factory, LOFT, LOFT Outlet and Lou & Grey stores in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada. Our Ann Taylor and LOFT brands are also available online in more than 100 countries worldwide at AnnTaylor.com and LOFT.com or at our LOFT franchise stores in Mexico. Visit ANNINC.com for more information (NYSE: ANN).

About Vital Voices Global PartnershipVital Voices Global Partnership is a leading non-governmental organization that identifies, invests in and brings visibility to extraordinary women around the world by unleashing their leadership potential to transform lives and accelerate peace and prosperity in their communities. Founded by Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 1997, the organization trains and mentors women leaders as agents of transformative change in economic development, human rights and political participation. The Vital Voices Global Leadership Network includes more than 14,000 leaders representing 144 countries who have trained and mentored 500,000 additional women and girls in their communities. Visit vitalvoices.org to learn more.